Floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe

ABSTRACT

A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe which includes a cleaning pad, an elastic means carrying the cleaning pad and engageable with the shoe for positioning the pad adjacent the sole of the shoe. The pad has first and second floor-engaging surfaces and is designed to be used in a first operative position in which only one of the surfaces is exposed for floor-engaging use and a second operative position in which only the other of the floor-engaging surfaces is exposed for floor-engaging use so as to accommodate for wear of the pad. Additionally, the elastic means may be secured to a carrier which is positioned and held against the sole of the shoe with the cleaning pad being releasably secured to the carrier.

[151 3,689,176 1 Aug. 1,1972

waited States Faterrt Sims 3,460,182 8/1969 Grande,.Ir......................15/227 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS FLOOR CLEANING DEVICE FQR ATTACHMENT TO A SHUE [72] Inventor: Clarence R. Sims, Route 6, Box 121,

Elkhart Ind. France..'.......-...--....-....15/143 R Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Attorney-O1tsch & Knoblock Dec. 14, 1970 [21] App1.N0.:97,770

[22] Filed:

achment to a shoe elastic means carryn a d a D. g n .1 n a e l C a S e d .w c n .1 h c .1 h W the shoe for positioning the pad adjacent the sole of the shoe. The pad has first and secon designed to be us and engageable with d floor-engaging surfaces and is ed in a first operative position in rfaces is exposed for floor-enerative position in which ging surfaces is exto accommodate for dditionally, the elastic means may be secured to a carrier which is positioned and held against the sole of the shoe with the cleaning pad ing the cleaning pad which only one of the su gaging use and a second op only the other of the floor-enga posed for floor-engaging use so as wear of the pad. A

being releasably secured to the carrier.

51] rm. [58] FieldofSearch......

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,526,917 9/1970 Haywood,Jr............... 3,528,120 9/1970 Lindstrom...................... 3,395,416 8/1968 Hughes 6 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures k 33 5 3 n 3 H 11)) uwmwn a INVENTOR.

CLARENCE P. SIMS A T TORNEYS PATENTEDAUG' 1 mm SHEET 2 0F 4 INVENTOR CLARENCE R. SIMS PATENTEDAUB 2 3.680.170

SHEET 3 UF 4 INVENTOR.

CLARENCE R S/MS (9.1%, e AQAM NA A T TUE/VT YS PATENTEDAus 1 I972 INVENTOR. CLARENCE R. SIMS 914x244 6 Mink ATTORNEYS FLOOR CLEANING DEVICE FOR ATTACHMENT TO A SHOE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a cleaning device and has specific application to a device which is attachable to the sole of a shoe and is usable as a means for cleaning a floor.

The floor cleaning device of this invention includes a cleaning pad which is carried by an elastic means and which is positioned by the elastic means adjacent the sole of the shoe of the user of the device so as to enable the user thereof to press the cleaning pad against the surface of the floor and by means of a pivotal or shuffling motion of the foot cause the floor to be cleaned by the pad. The pad includes opposite floor-engaging surfaces and is maintained by the elastic means in a first operative position wherein only one of the surfaces of the pad is exposed for floor-engaging use and a second operative position wherein only the other of the surfaces of the pad is exposed for floor-engaging use so as to accommodate for wear of the pad.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cleaning device for the floor which is attachable to the shoe and which carries a floor-engaging replaceable cleaning pad which is reversible so as to permit the pad to accommodate substantial wear before it must be replaced.

Another object of this invention is to provide a floor cleaning device which is attachable to a shoe and which is of economical manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide a floor cleaning device which is attachable vto the foot and which is economical to use because it includes reversible and replaceable cleaning pads.

' Still another object of this invention is to provide a means for releasably securing a pad of abrasive material to the sole of a shoe in a rapid and simple manner.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the inventions description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment shownapplied to the foot of a user.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the floor cleaning device shown in FIG. 1 with the component parts thereof in separated form.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the floor cleaning device as viewed along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and shown without the shoe therein.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of another embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a shoe showing the floor cleaning device illustrated in FIG. 4 attached thereto.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view of the floor cleaning device illustrated in FIG. 4 viewed along line 6-6 thereof.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged detail sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a shoe showing another embodiment of this invention attached thereto.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the shoe and floor cleaning device of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a shoe having the floor cleaning device of FIG. 4 attached thereto in an alternative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments illustrated are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilizethe invention.

The embodiment of the floor cleaning device illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is of a construction similar to the floor scrubber described in U. S. Pat. No. 3,526,917 in that it includes an elastic member having a toe part-12 which is adapted to fit over the toe of a shoe l4 and a strap part 16 which is adapted to extend around heel portion 18 of the shoe. Toe part 12 of the elastic member includes a carrier 20 which is secured to the shoe sole-engaging portion of the toe part and which in cludes means for releasably securing a cleaning pad 22 to the toe part.

The embodiment of the floor cleaning device illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 10, includesa carrier 24 which carries means for releasably securing a cleaning pad 26 thereto. One end of carrier 24 has a hook 28 secured thereto. The opposite end of the carrier has an elastic member which consists of two extendible strap parts 30 secured thereto. Each strap part 30 is secured at one end to carrier 24 by a common rivet 31 or similar securement means. The opposite end of each strap part 30 carries a hook 32. Hook 28 of carrier 24 is pressed into or fitted around the sole 34 of shoe 36-at the toe thereof with the carrier extending longitudinally along the sole and being held in position thereagainst by strap parts 30 which are stretched and either brought up around the sides of the shoe with the hooks 32 thereof received over upper edge 38 of the shoe just rearwardly of the tongue 40 thereof, as shown in FIG. 5, or pressed into or fitted around sole 34 of shoe 36 at the narrow of the shoe just forwardly of heel 42 thereof as shown in FIG. 10. In each of the applications of the floor cleaning device illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 10, strap parts 30 are placed in tension when attached to the shoe so as to cause carrier 24 to be held flatly against the bottom of the shoe sole. Tabs 44 are preferably provided at the very ends of the strap parts so as to enable the user to grasp the tabs and thus easily stretch the strap parts as they are being pulled rearwardly and attached to the shoe.

The embodiment of the floor cleaning device illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 represents a modification of the device described in FIGS. 4, 5 and 10. In this embodiment only a single strap part 30 is secured to carrier 24. This device is attached to the shoe 36 of the user by first securing carrier-connected hook 28 to sole 34 at the toe of the shoe and then grasping tab 44 of the strap part and pulling the tab longitudinally rearwardly so as to extend the strap part until hook 32 thereof can be either pressed into heel 46 at its rear edge or brought up over and hooked into the upper edge of sole 34 just above the rear edge of the heel, as best seen in FIG. 9.

In FIG. 14 the floor cleaning device of FIGS. 4, 5 and is modified to the extent that the elastic means constitutes a strap 48 formed into a loop which is joined by arivet 50 or similar securement means at the opposite end of carrier 24 from book 28 thereof. Loop 48 fits around the heel portion 52 of shoe 54 in much the same manner as strap part 16 of the elastic member fits around heel portion 18 of the shoe illustrated in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of the floor cleaning device illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the elastic member constitutes an elongated extendible strap 56 which carries hooks 58 at its opposite end portions. A carrier 60 is secured by a staple 61 or similar attachment means to an intermediate portion 62 of strap 56. Carrier 60 includes means by which a cleaning pad 64 may be releasably secured thereto. Strap 56 preferably includes tabs 66 which extend outwardly of hooks 58. The user of this type floor cleaning device need only grasp tabs 66 and position the strap across and against sole 68 of her shoe 70. Tabs 66 are then pulled apart so as to stretch strap 56 until hooks 58 can be pressed into or fitted over the sole of the shoe as illustrated in FIG. 12, thus anchoring the pad against the bottom surface of sole 68. In FIG. 15, the floor cleaning device of FIGS. 11 and 12 is modified in that strap 56 carries cooperating hook means 72, instead of individual hooks 58, which enable the end portions of the strap to be brought from under the shoe and over the top of toe 74' thereof and the hook means interlocked so as to retain carrier 60 against the sole of the shoe.

In each of the above described embodiments, pads 22, 26 and 64 are preferably of a uniform thickness and of an abrasive interwoven texture, such as that provided by steelv wool or spun nylon. While a pad of this nature would find particular application in removing scuff marks and other matter from floors, it is to be understood that the pads need not be of an abrasive texture but instead may be formed of sponge or felt and utilized for-non-abrasive cleaning or polishing. Carries 20, 24 and 60 in each of the above described embodiments carry means by which pads 22, 26 and 64 may be releasably secured thereto. Thus, each of the carriers may consist of a strip of Velcro which is a material having a plurality of small flexible books 76, best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, which serve to interlock with the interwoven fibers of the pad and thus retain the pad in position when once pressed against the hook carrying side of the carrier. Additionally, the carriers may include an adhesive or other type of securement means by which the pads may be releasably secured thereto. It is to be kept in mind that the carrier serves primarily to retain the pad in position while the user of the floor cleaning device is attaching the device to his foot and afterwards is walking about the room. When the user presses the pad against thefloor and begins either a pivotal or shuffling cleaning motion with his foot, there is generally sufficient frictional contact between the pad and the carrier to retain the pad in a fixed position relative to the carrier without the aid of any hooks 76 or other similar securement means. By being detachable from carriers 20, 24 and 60, pads 22, 26 and 64 can be rotated about a vertical axis so as to accommodate wear spots which normally occur under the ball of the foot as well as turned over to expose an entirely new pad surface for use.

The hooks 28, 32 and 58 utilized in the embodiments above described are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 6 and 7. Each such hook includes a shank part 80 having one end thereof secured by a rivet 81 or similar securement means to its respective carrier or strap part and a pointed lip part 82 which is interconnected to the shank part 80 by a connector part 84. The included angle between connector part 84 and shank part 80 is obtuse and is preferably between and Lip part 82 terminates at its point 83 between the ends of shank part 80 and preferably either substantially parallels the shank part as shown'in FIG. 6 or slightly diverges from the shank part as shown in FIG. 7. The spacing between shank part 80 and lip part 82 preferably exceeds the average width of a sole of a shoe, although such hooks will work just as well for soles having a thickness which is greater than the spacing between hook parts 80 and 82. The hooks by being designed in this fashion will not slip off or become detached from the shoe during use of the floor cleaning device.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13 includes a flexible cleaning pad 84 with a transverse elastic strap 86 and a longitudinal elastic strap 88 secured thereto. Straps 86 and 88 are connected to pad 84 along its marginal edge so as to permit the straps to be reversed and positioned adjacent either side 90 or opposite side 92 of the pad, thus enabling the pad to be utilized on both sides without detaching the straps from the pad. Strap 88 has one end secured to pad 84 and its opposite end secured to the intermediate part of transverse strap 86 so as to enable the toe of a shoe to be inserted under strap 86 and forwardly intocontact with strap 88. Pad 84 may consist of two sections 84a and 84b between which the ends of straps 86 and 88 are placed with the pad sections glued or bonded together.

It is to be understood that the invention herein described is not to be limited to the details above given but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, at least one of said carrier and elastic means including a hook engageable with the sole of said shoe to assist in positioning said carrier against said sole, said hook including a shank part having one and anchored to said one carrier and elastic member and a pointed return-bent lip part spacedly interconnected to the other end of said shank part by a connector part, the included angle between said shank and connector part being obtuse with said lip part terminating between said endsv of the shank part.

2. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, said elastic means being an extendible strap, said strap including hooks located at its opposite end portions for releasable engagement with said shoe and being secured to said carrier between said end portions, said strap adapted to extend across the sole of said shoe with said hooks engaging opposite sides of said shoe.

3. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, said elastic means being an extendible strap having one end secured to one end of said carrier, first and second hooks, said first hook secured to the opposite end of said carrier from said strap for releasable engagement with said shoe at its toe, said second hook secured to the opposite end of strap for releasable engagement with said shoe adjacent its heel.

4. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, said elastic means including two extendible strap parts each having one end secured to the same one end of said carrier, a hook secured to the opposite end of said carrier for releasable engagement with the toe of said shoe, and hooks secured to the opposite ends of said strap parts for engagement with said shoe at opposite sides thereof and rearwardly of said toe.

5. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein said lip part parallels said shank part.

6. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein said lip and hook parts diverge from said connector part. 

1. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, at least one of said carrier and elastic means including a hook engageable with the sole of said shoe to assist in positioning said carrier against said sole, said hook including a shank part having one and anchored to said one carrier and elastic member and a pointed return-bent lip part spacedly interconnected to the other end of said shank part by a connector part, the included angle between said shank and connector part being obtuse with said lip part terminating between said ends of the shank part.
 2. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, said elastic means being an extendible strap, said strap including hooks located at its opposite end portions for releasable engagement with said shoe and being secured to said carrier between said end portions, said strap adapted to extend across the sole of said shoe with said hooks engaging opposite sides of said shoe.
 3. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, said elastic means being an extendible strap having one end secured to one end of said carrier, first and second hooks, said first hook secured to the opposite end of said carrier from said strap for releasable engagement with said shoe at its toe, said second hook secured to the opposite end of strap for releasable engagement with said shoe adjacent its heel.
 4. A floor cleaning device for attachment to a shoe comprising a pad carrier having elastic means secured thereto for positioning said carrier against the sole of said shoe, a cleaning pad, said carrier including means releasably securing said pad to said carrier, said elastic means including two extendible strap parts each having one end secured to the same one end of said carrier, a hook secured to the opposite end of said carrier for releasable engagement with the toe of said shoe, and hooks secured to the opposite ends of said strap parTs for engagement with said shoe at opposite sides thereof and rearwardly of said toe.
 5. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein said lip part parallels said shank part.
 6. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein said lip and hook parts diverge from said connector part. 